The average American family produces more than 500 pounds of leftover organic material every year; composting not only keeps that waste out of methane-generating landfills, it also produces nutrient-rich, fertile, natural soil. Composting may be the right thing to do for the environment, but it can be hard to get around the smell and the mess—particularly for urbanites without expansive yards.

According to Wikipedia, Methane clathrate, also called methane hydrate or methane ice, is a solid form of water that contains a large amount of methane within its crystal structure. Originally thought to occur only in the outer regions of the Solar System where temperatures are low and water ice is common, significant deposits of methane clathrate have been found under sediments on the ocean floors of Earth.

After being thoroughly used in the deep fryer, waste vegetable oil (WVO) has traditionally been disposed of in landfills or wastewater treatment plants. Microbes then digest the oils and release methane and CO2. In diverting this fuel source from the landfill and making use of used cooking oil to produce electricity, the same amount of CO2 is created. However, it is possible to harvest a significant amount of useful energy instead of throwing it away!

Algae is the cheapest, highest yielding feedstock for biofuels and biomass for energy. It accumulates waste toxins, grows from polluting waste, does not require conversion of food crops to energy, does not lead to deforestation, and voraciously consumes carbon dioxide. Algae can produce lipid oils for biodiesel, carbohydrates necessary for ethanol, generate hydrogen, generate methane for electrical generation, be used as fertilizer, animal feed, and co-firing in coal electrical plants. Best of all, the energy produced by algae products is carbon neutral as the algae biomass is produced from CO2 in the atmosphere present today.

Biogas typically refers to a gas produced by the biological breakdown of organic matter in the absence of oxygen. It is comprised primarily of methane and carbon dioxide. It can be combusted with oxygen and the energy release allows biogas to be used as a fuel. Considered a renewable fuel and electricity produced from it can be used to attract renewable energy subsidies in some parts of the world.

Landfills are the largest human-related source of methane in the U.S., accounting for 34% of all emissions. It is produced when organic materials (such as yard waste, household waste, food waste, and paper) are decomposed by bacteria under anaerobic conditions (i.e., in the absence of oxygen). Companies are installing systems that transform landfill methane gas to energy -- a move that can save millions in annual energy costs alone